Le Boat: self-drive boating holidays from the Thames to the Canal du Midi

Shopping at Le Boat? See all current Le Boat discount codes and deals, checked regularly.

Le Boat rents self-drive cruising boats for holidays on rivers, lakes and canals. Its history goes back to 1969, when Michael Streat started Blue Line in France with eight boats, and today it's part of the Travelopia travel group, with UK bookings handled by an ABTA member based in Surrey. You don't need a boat licence or any experience: base staff show you the controls before you set off.

It suits families, groups of friends and couples who like the idea of a slow holiday, moving at walking pace and mooring up by a village pub or vineyard. Breaks start at two nights, boats sleep from 2 to 12 people, and dogs are welcome on all boats for a cleaning supplement. The UK site shows prices in pounds.

What's worth a look

Here are four cruising areas, one boat and the gift vouchers, all from Le Boat's own site.

Thames boat hireWindsor, Henley and Oxford at your own paceView at Le Boat Loch Ness and the Caledonian CanalHighland lochs and castles in the Great GlenView at Le Boat Canal du Midi boat hireVineyards, Carcassonne and four basesView at Le Boat River Shannon and River Erne Boat HireLakes, castles and pubs across central IrelandView at Le Boat Horizon 1Premier boat, two cabins, sundeck with barbecueView at Le Boat Gift VouchersChoose any amount towards a Le Boat holidayView at Le Boat

For a holiday without flying, the Thames takes you past Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, Henley and Oxford, and Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal runs through the Great Glen, with Loch Ness on trips of four nights or longer. Further afield, the Canal du Midi winds through the Languedoc wine country near Carcassonne, with four bases to start from.

The Horizon 1 is one of the Premier boats: two cabins, a sundeck with a barbecue, and a saloon with large sliding doors. When we checked, the Premier boats page listed it from £259 per boat for a two-night break departing on 26 October 2026.

Current offers

We don't have affiliate offers for Le Boat yet, but its special offers page lists several:

• Up to 30% off 2027 departures in France, England and Scotland, when you book by 21 October 2026.
• 25% off the last 2026 departures, leaving before 29 October 2026, on all boats except Liberty.
• An extra 10% off from the seventh night onwards when you book 14 nights or more, until 2 November 2026.
• Up to 50% off selected last-minute one-way trips.
• At least 10% off when you book two boats or more (not in Italy).
• A Lowest Price Guarantee on 2027 and 2028 holidays booked by 2 November 2026: if the price drops, you get the difference back, up to 90 days before departure.

How to save more

• Past customers are automatically in the free Captains' Club. Sign up to emails to get a code worth up to £100 off, plus two free bikes on new bookings (not in Italy).
• Refer a friend who's never been before and you each get £100: they get £100 off and you get £100 credit.
• If you don't mind which boat you get, the Mystery Boat offer gives you a Value-range boat, confirmed on the day, on round trips in England, Ireland, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Products, prices and offers checked on the store's own website on 20 Oct 2026. Prices and stock can change.

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